Toyota FT-AC Concept Teased Ahead of L.A. Auto Show Debut

Is it an evolution of the FT-4X?

It’s beginning to feel a lot like auto show season. Toyota is the latest automaker to issue a teaser image for a concept set to debut at the 2017 L.A. auto show this month. The shadowy image appears to show a rugged crossover vehicle wearing massive fender flares and plenty of LEDs.

Toyota sticks with the FT naming scheme for this concept, called the FT-AC, or Future Toyota Adventure Concept. Few other details were given, but we can speculate this could be an evolution of the FT-4X concept that debuted earlier this year in New York. That concept previewed a small, outdoor lifestyle-focused crossover with true four-wheel drive. Toyota said at the time it was gauging interest for a potential production version, so perhaps this is yet another attempt to feel the waters.

That said, the two concepts don’t look that much alike. Both feature wide fender flares, but the FT-AC’s come to a peak and are disconnected from the body at the tops. The headlights are somewhat similar, but there are now LED foglight clusters in the front bumper and LED auxiliary lights on the roof. Their hoods have a similar shape, as do the mirrors, which appear to have integrated forward-facing cameras like the FT-4X.

The U.S. market’s appetite for crossovers means there’s certainly room for another compact CUV in Toyota’s lineup. And since the C-HR is essentially a slightly raised hatchback that doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, a Toyota vehicle roughly the same size but targeted at an outdoor lifestyle buyer wouldn’t cannibalize sales too much.

At this point, though, we can only guess what the FT-AC might be. We’ll find out for sure on Thursday, November 30, at 9:00 am PST when the concept makes its debut at the L.A. auto show.

Automobile offers a rich and varied examination of the automotive universe in all its forms - delivered by our stable of first-class editors and freelance contributors and illustrated with vibrant photography.